New Zealand ultra-runner Sophie Woods has smashed the fastest-known time for the Via Alpina, completing the arduous 2,000km Alpine endurance route across eight countries in just 29 days. Battling severe heatwaves, mountain storms, and wildfires, the 42-year-old eclipsed the previous men’s and women’s record by six days.
Ultra-runner Sophie Woods crossed the finish line on the Mediterranean coast in Monaco on a Saturday night, cementing her place in endurance history. Setting off on July 4 in Italy, she traversed a brutal trail network spanning Slovenia, Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, and France. According to the reporting, the route carries a cumulative elevation equivalent to climbing Mount Everest 12 times over, forcing competitors to contend with some of the most technical and punishing terrain in Europe.
Shattering the Record Against Brutal Alpine Elements
Woods carved six full days off the previous fastest-known time for the route, which was set at 35 days by British runner Jake Catterall in 2024. Only a handful of runners have ever attempted the Via Alpina under formal timing due to its extreme physical toll. Averaging roughly 69 kilometers per day while climbing more than 100,000 meters in cumulative elevation, Woods pushed through relentless conditions that included two separate European heatwaves, mountain storms, and a thick swarm of horseflies.
Extreme weather posed an immediate threat to the expedition. Wildfires sweeping across parts of the continent forced the support crew to orchestrate a detour that added five kilometres and 200 meters of treacherous climbing to an already exhausting itinerary. I’ve been close to wildfires before and they are terrifying,
Woods told BBC Sport. I didn’t want to put myself, my crew or anyone in danger by going through the fires.
From Horrendous Beginnings to Mountain-Eating Momentum
The opening stretch of the journey tested every boundary of physical endurance. Woods reported that the initial week brought intense swelling, severe soreness, and the constant fear of pulling muscles. With no fixed playbook to rely upon, the team had to adapt constantly. We had a rough plan of what it was going to look like, but there was quite a lot of winging it along the way,
Woods noted. All of our calculations were out. Every day was longer and higher than we had calculated.
“The first week was horrendous – everything was swollen, everything was sore. I was sure I was going to pull 15 million muscles. Week two wasn’t great either and then week three, I felt like I was getting fitter. It was like I was eating mountains for breakfast.”
Sophie Woods, Ultra-runner
Fueling for 15 to 18 hours of daily movement required a pragmatic mix of energy gels, pasta, and McDonald’s runs, complemented by refreshing ice cream slushies to combat temperatures reaching up to 37 degrees Celsius. As fatigue set in during the final push, sleep dwindled to one and a half to two and a half hours per night. When darkness fell over the mountains, Woods narrowed her entire focus down to a single mental instruction: Just one step. That’s all you have to do. Just one step forward.
A Personal Milestone and a Landmark Year for Women’s Endurance
Supported along the way by her husband George, friend Zoe, and their dog Nila in a support van, Woods undertook the challenge following a difficult fertility journey that included IVF treatment. She stated that she wanted her life to look different afterward, and once the Via Alpina came into focus, the record was targeted from day one. Her triumph crowns a remarkable period for women in ultra-endurance racing, following Rachel Entrekin’s record-breaking victory at the Cocodona 250 and Tara Dower’s record on Vermont’s Long Trail earlier in the season.
“Ultra-running is about preparation, mental strength and being able to continue to persevere when things go wrong. I think women are really good at adapting and continuing.”
Sophie Woods, Ultra-runner
Having pushed past the 30-day threshold she initially set as her absolute ceiling, Woods completed her historic journey on her own terms. As for what comes next after covering 2,000 kilometers on foot in less than a month, the record-holder kept her immediate itinerary refreshingly simple: spending quality time on the couch watching Netflix and finally eating some vegetables.
